Msy local controller cleared aircraft for takeoff with traffic on short final.

Attributes
ACN	558374
Time
Date	200209
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msy.airport
State Reference	LA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-700
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	ground : taxi ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : msy.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 9500 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	558374
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 24 flight time total : 5684 flight time type : 772
ASRS Report	558329
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe incursion : runway non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 3
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : executed go around other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

Flight pushed back on time from gate in msy. Tail was toward runway 10. After start and pre-takeoff checks ground was called for taxi. Instructions were: 'taxi to runway 1 contact tower.' a right turn from parking was accomplished. Check in with tower resulted in this call from tower 'company number, fly runway heading cleared for takeoff runway 1.' as we were crossing the hold short line (the first time we could see final) I observed a B737 on a 1-2 NM final (I estimate) and simultaneously heard this transmission 'tower confirm company number (unsure of actual call sign) is cleared to land.' at this point our aircraft was nearly stopped although we were a good 20 ft over the hold short line. Tower responded 'company number go around.' at this point the aircraft acknowledged 'company number go around.' since our takeoff clearance had not been canceled and a conflict no longer existed, we commenced the takeoff roll. No further comment or clarification was received from msy tower. I do not consider this to have been a dangerous situation, since we could have cleared the runway well before the aircraft on final landed. However, it was definitely a breech of safety and could have been disastrous had we not seen the aircraft on final and had they not noticed us and/or questioned their landing clearance. I have always made it my habit to check final before taking the runway. This incident will reinforce that habit.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MSY LCL CTLR CLRED ACFT FOR TKOF WITH TFC ON SHORT FINAL.

Narrative: FLT PUSHED BACK ON TIME FROM GATE IN MSY. TAIL WAS TOWARD RWY 10. AFTER START AND PRE-TKOF CHKS GND WAS CALLED FOR TAXI. INSTRUCTIONS WERE: 'TAXI TO RWY 1 CONTACT TWR.' A R TURN FROM PARKING WAS ACCOMPLISHED. CHK IN WITH TWR RESULTED IN THIS CALL FROM TWR 'COMPANY NUMBER, FLY RWY HEADING CLRED FOR TKOF RWY 1.' AS WE WERE XING THE HOLD SHORT LINE (THE FIRST TIME WE COULD SEE FINAL) I OBSERVED A B737 ON A 1-2 NM FINAL (I ESTIMATE) AND SIMULTANEOUSLY HEARD THIS XMISSION 'TWR CONFIRM COMPANY NUMBER (UNSURE OF ACTUAL CALL SIGN) IS CLRED TO LAND.' AT THIS POINT OUR ACFT WAS NEARLY STOPPED ALTHOUGH WE WERE A GOOD 20 FT OVER THE HOLD SHORT LINE. TWR RESPONDED 'COMPANY NUMBER GO AROUND.' AT THIS POINT THE ACFT ACKNOWLEDGED 'COMPANY NUMBER GO AROUND.' SINCE OUR TKOF CLRNC HAD NOT BEEN CANCELED AND A CONFLICT NO LONGER EXISTED, WE COMMENCED THE TKOF ROLL. NO FURTHER COMMENT OR CLARIFICATION WAS RECEIVED FROM MSY TWR. I DO NOT CONSIDER THIS TO HAVE BEEN A DANGEROUS SIT, SINCE WE COULD HAVE CLRED THE RWY WELL BEFORE THE ACFT ON FINAL LANDED. HOWEVER, IT WAS DEFINITELY A BREECH OF SAFETY AND COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS HAD WE NOT SEEN THE ACFT ON FINAL AND HAD THEY NOT NOTICED US AND/OR QUESTIONED THEIR LNDG CLRNC. I HAVE ALWAYS MADE IT MY HABIT TO CHK FINAL BEFORE TAKING THE RWY. THIS INCIDENT WILL REINFORCE THAT HABIT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.